Fly-trap



WILSON SHREVE, OF ELKTON, KENTUCKY.

FLY-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,726, dated August .22, 1848.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, WILSON SHREVE, of

' Elkton, in the county of rIodd and State of lKentucky, have invented a new and Improved Fly-Trap; and I do hereby declare the following to b e a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view, and Fig. 2, a transverse vertical section.

Similar letters indicate like figures.

C, is a piece of plank forming the base of the trap; near the left hand end of the base or platform C, there is secured the box A, having` a glass top; the left hand end of the box A, is open, and receives the drawer B, which fits accurately within the same; an aperture F, is forfmed in the rear end of the box A, near the top, and a corresponding aperture in the rear end of the drawer B, opposite to F. A funnel h, is secured to the front end of the drawer `IB, and communicating therewith by the apertures g.

J is a plate secured to the platform, in the rear of, and on a line with the box A.

D, is a semi-cylindrical cover to the plate J, secured to the platform by the hinges cl; one end of the cover D, is left open, and the other end is closed by the cover D; the open end of the cover D, shuts so close to the rear end of the box A, as to be entirely closed by it.

G,`is a spring attached to the upper surface of the platform immediately in the'rear of the box A; the spring G, supports the gate E, which closes the aperture F, in the rear end of the'box. wWhen the cover D, is shut down over' the plate J, it strikes on the extremity of the spring G, and forcing it do-wn, removes the gate E, from the aperture F, and opens a free communication between the drawer B, and the space under the cover D, `above the plate J. A, groove a, is cut into the under side of the platform, transversely under the center of the plate J, having an aperture at one end through the top of the platform.

z', is a curved arm descending from the cover D, through the aperture into the groove a.

parts in both H, is a main spring made fast to one end of `the groove a, and ypressing with great force against the arm z'.

m, is a spring catch made fast to the platform, which takes into the notch la, on the lcoverl D, when the cover is thrown back,

and retains it; when the spring catch is disengaged from'the notch in, the main spring H, pressing against the curved arm i, shuts the cover D, down over the plate J, with great force.

The operation of my improved fly trap is as follows: The cover D, having been raised and fastened back as before described, theplate J, is supplied with molasses, or such' other substance as will most readily kattract the flies; after a sufficient number vof` flies have been attracted to the plate, the spring catch 7c, is detached, allowing the cover D, to be instantly closed by the main spring H; the flies finding themselves imprisoned, will be attracted by the light to the aperture F, and will pass through the same into the drawer B. After sufcient time hasb been allowed for the flies to all pass from the cover D, `into the drawer, the cover is ,i

again opened and fastened back. In open-V ing the cover the spring G, will rise and cause the gate E, to closethe aperture F, thereby confining the flies in the drawer in the box A. Water is now pouredinto the funnel 71 until the drawer is filled therewith; when the flies are drowned the drawer is withdrawn from the, box, emptiedof its contents, and returned to its place again. In this manner the operation is repeated so long as there are any flies to operate on in the region where the trap may be located.V

Having thus fully ldescribed the construction and operation of my improved fly trap, y i

what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the4 respective mechanical parts thereof with each other,`ar

ranged formed and operating substantially f as herein set forth.

` wiLsoN sHEEvE.

Witnesses:

ALMOND BRowNING, JOHN W. LACKEY. 

